How To: Burdock For Skin December 12 2013

Lately, my juicer has been working overtime. I’ve been trying new combinations of brightly colored plants each week, loving the energetic and nutritional boosts they bring.

In the meantime, one unexpected ingredient has become a standby: fresh burdock root.

Cream-colored and carrot-shaped, burdock is a root vegetable that can be pickled, sautéed, added to stews, marinated in salads or eaten plain. When you see it sold fresh in stores, it looks dark brown because it has a thick outer bark.

Originally, I added burdock to my juice mix during a liver cleanse. I’ve been craving it ever since. After all, besides noticeable mind-sharpening benefits, the juice has been improving the look of my skin.

In herbal medicine, burdock or gobo (arctium lappa) is a gentle but deep detoxifier for the liver, and it is seen as one of the best blood purifiers. Burdock is an element in remedies for many skin diseases too. It helps temper allergies, improve liver function and purify the blood, so it combats issues like acne, eczema or other irritations. Basically, it gives your skin a beautiful glow and is essential in any skin-boosting diet.

Here’s what’s in my current favorite burdock-based green elixir, so you can try it at home: